Applicator package



E- L. ROWE Nov. 28, 1967 a fla M m W W4 A WM K1 C m t mw mm Mm United States Patent Ofifice 3,355,241 Patented Nov. 28, 1967 3,355,241 APPLICATOR PACKAGE Edward L. Rowe, Baltimore, Md., assignor to Anchor Hocking Glass Corporation, Lancaster, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Filed Oct. 18, 1965, Ser. No. 497,221 3 Claims. (Cl. 401-213) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The present invention is directed to a dispensing applicator which embodies a glass container for liquid to be dispensed. The glass container has a body portion and a rim at its upper end forming a mouth. The inside of the mouth has an annular ball seating surface rounded to conform generally to the shape of a ball to be seated thereon. A ball is seated in the seating surface and a retaining ring of flexible material is adapted to be mounted over the mouth of the container to hold the ball in position. The inner surface of the retaining ring has an uninterrupted curved ball retaining surface which is rounded to conform generally to the'shape of the ball. The seating surface in the bottle is adapted to cover substantially half of the ball and the retaining surface in the ring has the portion with a diameter greater than the diameter of the ball adjacent the diameter and a portion with a diameter less than the diameter of said ball adapted to engage the ball above its maximum diameter to retain it in position on the container. The bottle has an annular enlargement and the retaining ring has a channel adapted to snap over the annular enlargement on the container. The retaining ring is adapted to hold the ball loosely on the seating surface and means are provided for causing the ball to seat tightly on the seating surface to seal the bottle.

The present invention relates to applicators and more particularly to applicators for glass containers which uti lize a rotatable ball adapted to be rolled over the skin to apply deodorants, cosmetics, lotions and the like.

Two types of containers are utilized for dispensing deodorants and the like. One is made of polyethylene or a similar plastic which is a flexible material such as used in squeeze bottles and the other is made of glass which is rigid. The plastic containers are more expensive than those made of glass as the plastic material is more expensive and molding it takes longer. In addition, the plastic ball tends to freeze to the plastic container both being made of the same type of material which is not rigid like glass but slightly flexible and depressible.

In glass containers, fitments used are made of plastic material such as polyethylene to retain the ball and to form a seat for it. There is difficulty with present dispensers utilizing glass containers in getting a good seal. In addition, when the plastic ball is pressed tightly against the fitment to form a seal, there is a tendency for the hall to freeze to the fitment which prevents the ball from rotating freely and applying the material to be dispensed. In some cases the fitment may be pulled off the container in an effort to get the ball to roll over the skin.

The present invention utilizes a glass container with its various advantages such as rigidity and low cost and simplifies the parts cooperating with it both to form a seal and to dispense the contents which further reduces the cost of the package. At the same time the simplified structure provides an improved and more effective seal and eliminates the freezing of the ball in position and minimizes adherence between the ball and the parts cooperating with it.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved glass container for assembly with dispensing fitmerits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a sealing surface on the container adapted to form a secure seal with a ball for applying the contents of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fitment for holding the ball on the sealing surface of the container.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fitment which loosely holds the ball on the sealing surface of the container thereby to minimize adherence of the ball to the sealing surface and to the fitment.

Another object of the invention is to provide a secure seal between the ball and container when the closure is applied to the container.

Another object of the invention is to minimize or eliminate any squeezing of the fitment against the ball during the sealing operation.

Another object of the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive parts which cooperate to securely seal the container when not in use and to freely apply the contents when the closure is removed from the container.

Other and further objects of the invention will be obvious upon an understanding of the illustrative embodiment about to be described, or will be indicated in the appended claims, and various advantages not referred to herein will occur to one skilled in the art upon employment of the invention in practice.

A preferred embodiment of the invention has been chosen for purposes of illustration and description and is shown in the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the specification, wherein:

FIG .1 is a perspective view of the preferred applicator according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing each of the components of the preferred embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the upper end of the container with the components attached;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the container inverted with the closure removed;

FIG. 5 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 4 with the ball pressed against the skin to apply the contents of the container.

Referring again to the drawings illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention and more particularly to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3 there is shown in FIG. 1 the sealed package 1. The exploded view in FIG. 2 shows the glass container 2 with a ball 3 above it and the retaining ring 4 above the ball and the closure cap 5 above the retaining ring. The cross sectional view in FIG. 3 shows these components of the invention in sealed relationship.

The container 2 shown more particularly in FIGS. 2 and 3 comprises a body portion 6 with a reduced portion 7 having a screw thread 8 on its outer surface. The rim 9 of the container is further reduced in size and flared outwardly to form an annular groove 10. The inner side of the mouth has an annular zone 11 slightly concave and rounded to fit generally the underside 12 of the ball 3 adapted to seat on the mouth of the container.

The annular zone 11 is formed at the time the glass is blown as part of the manufacturing operation without requiring grinding or other shaping after the container is made. The smooth glass surface of the annular zone 11 does not lend itself to adhesion or to the freezing of the ball against the surface. In order to get good adhesion an irregular or roughened surface is required. The glass container 2 may be made on automatic glass machinery at the usual high speeds without requiring a finishing operation of any of the parts. Hence the containers are inexpensive to manufacture and are made of an inexpensive material which is composed primarily of sand with a substantial amount of lime and soda ash added.

The ball 3 is preferably formed of polystyrene which has a smooth outer surface and is relatively rigid although not as rigid as glass. The lower side of the ball nests in the rounded annular zone 11 on the inside of the mouth of the container 2. The smooth surface of the glass contacting the smooth surface of the ball minimizes any tendency of the parts to adhere if the contents should be at all sticky.

The retaining means is provided as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 for holding the ball on the mouth of the container. In the preferred embodiment the retaining means comprises an annular ring of plastic material such as polyethylene having an annular groove or channel 16 on the inside near the lower portion thereof to receive the rim 9 at the mouth of the glass container. The lower side of the channel has an annular shoulder 17 which fits into the grove 10 on the outer side wall of the glass container and under the annular rim 9 at the mouth of the container. The upper part of the retaining ring 4 engages lightly the ball 3 above its maximum diameter. Preferably the retaining ring 4 is loosely mounted on the end of the container so that the retaining ring 4 is free to move slightly due to the loose fit between the channel 16 therein and the enlargement 9 on the container. Also the upper portion of the ring 4 preferably fits reasonably loosely over the enlargement or maximum diameter of the ball 3 and for a distance above it to facilitate the application of the contents of the container.

As shown more particularly in FIGS. 1 and 3 a closure cap 5 is provided having a cover portion 2% and a depending skirt 21 with a screw thread 22 on the inside of the skirt at the lower portion thereof. The cover portion has a rounded lug 24 adapted to engage the upper side of the ball 3. When the closure 5 is screwed on the container the rounded lug 24 engages the upper rounded part of the ball 3 and forces the ball downwardly on its seat and firmly into engagement with the annular zone scaling surface 11 formed in the mouth of the container adjacent the rim 9 thereof. The smooth surface of the ball 3 presses against the annular zone 11 of the container and forms a secure liquid-tight seal. Liquids of low viscosity such as water have been sealed a described above and transported over long distances without leakage. The seal is formed directly between the ball 3 and the annular zone 11 through the force supplied by the closure cap 5. The retaining ring 4 preferably does not contact the closure cap 5 and the seal is independent of the retaining ring 4.

In operation, the sealed package 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 as purchased from a drugstore is kept until the consumer desires to use it. Upon removing the closure cap 5 the ball 3 is exposed for application of deodorant, lotion or the like. By inverting or partially inverting the container 2 as shown in FIG. 3, the ball 3 tends to drop away from the annular zone ill and form a slight gap 25 between the ball 3 and the annular zone 11 of the container to a slight extent. Since the retaining ring 4 is loose about the ball 3 the liquid 23 or lotion is not wiped from the surface of the ball 3 but is carried to the exposed portion of the ball for application in a thin film 26 as shown in F IG. 5.

When the ball 3 is pressed against the skin 27 as shown in FIG. 5 the skin 27 pushes the ball 3 to one side tending to separate one side of the ball 3 from the retaining ring 4 as shownat 23 and from the annular zone 11 on the glass container as shown at 25 thus providing additional clearance for the free application of the contents of the container. After use the closure cap 5 is applied to press the ball 3 firmly against the sealing surface 11 on the glass container to reseal the package until a further application is desired.

It will be seen that the present invention enables inexpensive glass containers to be used for ball type applicators. The sealing surface formed in the mouth of the container for seating the ball is smooth and forms an excellent seal with the ball. At the same time the smooth surface of the ball sealing upon the smooth surface of the glass container minimizes any tendency for the lotion or other material to adhere the ball to the container and eliminates the freezing of one to the other. The pressure applied to the ball by the cover of the closure can be as great as needed to form a secure seal. The screw threads give sufficient leverage to apply adequate pressure to the ball. Since the seal is made between the ball and the container through pressure applied by the closure the retaining ring may be loosely mounted on the rim of the container and may loosely engage the ball above its maximum diameter. In this way the lotion or other contents have ample space for dispensing. In addition the application of the ball to the skin and the sidewise pressure on the ball when it is rolled over the skin tends to raise one side of the ball off the seat and away from one side of the retaining ring to provide a free flow of material out of the container. Since the seal is made on the glass, the retaining ring may be much lighter and less expensive than present types which utilize a ring as one of the elements forming a seal on the ball usually by a seat formed in the ring for the lower end of the ball and an upper extension for holding the ball on the seat. The invention is simple and inexpensive in construction and made of parts which may be readily manufactured by high speed automatic machinery. The parts may be readily assembled automatically or manually by placing the ball in the mouth of the container, forcing the retaining ring over both the ball and the rim of the container and thereafter applying the closure cap to press the ball against the seat formed in the glass container to seal the package.

As various changes may be made in the form, construction and arrangement of the parts herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention and without sacrificing any of its advantages, it is to be understood that all matter herein is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. A dispensing applicator comprising a glass container for a liquid to be dispensed, said glass container comprising a body portion and a rim at its upper end forming a mouth, the inside of said mouth having an annular, spherical, ball-seating surface rounded to conform generally to the shape of a ball adapted to seat thereon, a ball seated in said seating surface, a retaining ring of flexible, resilient material adapted to be mounted over the mouth of the container to retain said ball in position for rotation relative to said seating surface, the inside of said retaining ring having an uninterrupted, curved, annular ball retaining surface rounded to conform generally to the shape of said ball, said seating surface in the bottle covering substantially one half of said ball, the retaining surface in the retaining ring having a portion with a diameter greater than the diameter of said ball adjacent the seating surface on the bottle and a portion having a diameter less than the diameter of said ball adapted to engage the ball above its maximum diameter to retain it in position, the outer surface of said bottle rim having an annular enlargement, said retaining ring having an annular channel adapted to be snapped over the annular enlargement on the container, said retaining ring adapted to hold the ball loosely on the seating surface in the container so that the ball may be moved slightly off said seating surface to facilitate the dispensing of the contents of the container, and means for causing the ball to seat tightly on said seating surface to seal the bottle.

2. A dispensing applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a closure cap is provided to engage said container, said closure cap having means to engage said ball and force it into tight sealing engagement with the seating surface on the container.

3. A dispensing applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein screw means are provided on the exterior of said container and wherein said closure cap has a cover portion and a depending skirt portion, said skirt portion having screw means on its inner surface adapted to engage the screw means on said container whereby the closure may be screwed onto the container.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS ROBERT W. MICHELL, Primary Examiner. 

1. A DISPENSING APPLICATOR COMPRISING A GLASS CONTAINER FOR A LIQUID TO BE DISPENSED, SAID GLASS CONTAINER COMPRISING A BODY PORTION AND A RIM AT ITS UPPER END FORMING A MOUTH, THE INSIDE OF SAID MOUTH HAVING AN ANNULAR, SPHERICAL, BALL-SEATING SURFACE ROUNDED TO CONFROM GENERALLY TO THE SHAPE OF A BALL ADAPTED TO SEAT THEREON, A BALL SEATED IN SAID SEATING SURFACE, A RETAINING RING OF FLEXIBLE, RESILIENT MATERIAL ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED OVER THE MOUNT OF THE CONTAINER TO RETAIN SAID BALL IN POSITION FOR ROTATION RELATIVE TO SAID SEATING SURFACE, THE INSIDE OF SAID RETAINING RING HAVING AN UNINTERRUPTED, CURVED, ANNULAR BALL RETAINING SURFACE ROUNDED TO CONFORM GENERALLY TO THE SHAPE OF SAID BALL, SAID SEATING SURFACE IN THE BOOTLE COVERING SUBSTANTIALLY ONE HALF OF SAID BALL, THE RETAINING SURFACE IN THE RETAINING RING HAVING A PORTION WITH A DIAMETER GREATER THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID BALL ADJACENT THE SEATING SURFACE ON THE BOTTLE AND A PORTION HAVING A DIAMETER LESS THAN THE DIAMETER OF SAID BALL ADAPTED TO ENGAGE THE BALL ABOVE ITS MAXIMUM DIAMETER TO RETAIN IT IN POSITION, THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID BOTTLE RIM HAVING AN ANNULAR ENLARGEMENT, SAID RETAINING RING HAVING AN ANNULAR CHANNEL ADAPTED TO BE SNAPPED OVER THE ANNULAR ENLARGEMENT ON THE CONTAINER, SAID RETAINING RING ADAPTED TO HOLD THE BALL LOOSELY ON THE SEATING SURFACE IN THE CONTAINER SO THAT THE BALL MAY BE MOVED SLIGHTLY OFF SAID SEATING SURFACE TO FACILITATE THE DISPENSING OF THE CONTENTS OF THE CONTAINER, AND MEANS FOR CAUSING THE BALL TO SEAT TIGHTLY ON SAID SEATING SURFACE TO SEAL THE BOTTLE. 